I Love You
by 1379
Summary: Lily and James Potter were never the most ovbvious couple. But he could love no one else. And he did put his life in jepeordy a few times to gain her affection... Follow the students of hogwarts through out the marauders last year and two months, and find out how Lily Evans fell in love with a guy she nearly loathed.
1. A Glance

James Potter knew no ends when attracting Lily Evans's attention was concerned, and with Sirius Balck twittering idiotic ideas in his ears every second or two it was hard not to try a few fake suicide attempts to win her over. They all failed ovbiously, ending always in him maling anfool of himself and nearly dying. The first of which was The Ledge in the spring of year six. As you all know, Gryffindor Tower is one of the tallest point in Hogwarts, and the window in the common room had a spacious ledge on which anyone would be able to sit relatively comfortably for a couple of hours for dramatic effect - unless you were scared of heights. As James was relatively capable of handling heights, being a chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, he believed that the height would be a non issue. Or that was what Sirius told him. Peter, usually following Sirius no matter what, agreed, however Remus did not - understandably, might I add.

"What happens if she actually says no, Genius?" He demanded of Sirius across the breakfast table one morning.

"She won't, Moony!" Was Sirius's comfident reply.

"Really!? Because I am utterly convinced that Lily has no intention of dating Prongs, and I am absoloutely certain that no matter how ludicrous he acts around her she won't go out with him!"

"Lily?" Sirius grinned at the use of the girls first name. "Are we on first name bases with Evansey now? Looks like you've got competition here, Prongsie!?" In response to Sirius's taunting Peter sniggered.

"I will have you know that I do not like Lily Evans any more than Proffesor Slughorn likes Prongs!" Remus informed his friend, before taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

"Well I'm not sure about old Slugs, he does take an unusual expression when Prongs is about-" Both James and Remus began to choke on their juice.

"You did not just imply that!" Remus shuddered, once he had re overed from his partial choking.

"Why, you got a thing for Sluggie too, eh?"

"Of course not, you great buffoon!" Remus hissed, slamming the book he was reading shut menacingly.

"Well anyway..." Peter interrupted, changing the subject before Remus hit Sirius over the head with the book. "It's not as though she can refuse, no other guy wants to go out with her."

"I'm afraid you are misinformed, Wormtail My Friend." Remus told him matter-of-fact-like. James frowned.

"What makes you think that?" He asked.

"Well because Rick Abott - a fantastic example of an afformention 'Guy'- is asking her out now." He replied, nodding towards the Hufflepuff table.

"God, she's not going to go out with that duffer is he?" James winced, looking behind him.

"I dunno, but that smile tells me that he's either high, or going to shag someone." Sirius told the group.

"Padfoot!" Remus hissed, nodding his head in the direction of Profdeser Mcgonagall, who was passing behind Sirius and James. James did not look too happy about the comment either.

"What? Rick the Dick? I thought she had more self respect that that!" James questioned, ignoring Remus's reprimand of Sirius.

"That's exactly why she won't go out with you." Remus told him James. "Now, if you would excuse me I need to get to Potions."

"But we've got ten minutes!" Sirius called after Remus, glaring at his retreating back. "Honestly! It's almost as if he wants to get good grades!" James and Peter did not comment.

* * *

"What is the more common name for the potion: Ignis Contego?" Slughorn asked, looking through the sea of hands and spotting Lily among them. "Miss Evans, would you care to enlighten us?"

"Sir, Ignis Contego is known offen as the Black Fire Potion." She replied. Sirius rolled his eyes beside James.

"Yes, very good Miss Evans - five points to Gryffindor! Now, can anyone tell me what it does?" Much to Jame's deep regret Slughorn heard him mutter to Sirius 'As if we need to know this stuff!' and drew his attention towards him. "Jared, how about you?" It took a few seconds for James to register Slughorn was adressing him.

"It..." James frowned, racking his brain for the answer."enables the drinker to..." He knew this one! "To walk through flames?" He winced, awaiting his doom.

"Very good! Five more points for Gryffindor!" He sighed a sigh of relief. "Now, this is simple, but make no mistake this **shall **be mentioned in your N.E.W.T exams next year! Many fine students failed these exams because of simple mistakes! No one is bellow mistakes! Now please turn your books to page two hundred and thirty nine."

The instructions were simple enough:

_1. Slice bursting mushrooms with knife, add to cauldron and stir clockwisd until potion turns blue._

_2. Add salamander blood to cauldron, stir anti-clockwise until potion turns green._

_3. Crusg Wartcap Powder in pestle, add to cauldron and stir clockwise until potion turns red._

James sometimes wanted to concentrate during class, so he found it irritating when Sirius wouldn't shut was one of those times. Sirius was babbling on about how he was going to hex a first year that bumped into him while running to class. James thought it was harsh, and decided to make a point to be around Sirius for a while in case he actually intended to go through with it. Then James noticed from the change of his tone that he was asking him a question.

"Sorry?"

"I said what's she staring at?" Sirius repeated himself nodding to Lily who was sitting infront of them.

"Nothing, she wasn't looking at us." James repliedk returning to the potion.

"Yeah she was." Sirius insisted. "I think she was looking at you, Prongsie!" James rolled his eyes.

"Y'know Remus could be right about you jokimg about the wrong types of things."

"I mean it, Mate!" Sirius continued. "She was looking at you!"

"Can we actually do work now?"

"Not until you admit she was looking at you!" Sirius said childishly. James ignored him.


	2. Quidditch

James looked solemnly at the animal he was about to murder. "Sorry." He apoligised before hand, stroking the owls head.

"Potter, we haven't got all day! You either enlarge your owl or you do not!" Proffesor Mcgonagall told James. He sighed.

"Prongs, I will kill Ginger or you will!" Sirius told him, bringing out his own wand.

"He is not going to kill the bird, Mr Black." Mcgonagall corrected him. Sirius just shrugged.

"We'll see."

"It's great to know you have such little faith in me." James told him. Sirius grinned. Turning to Ginger he whispered 'bye' before pointing his wand at the poor creature. "_Engor-_!" He began, but Mcgonagall suddenly cut in.

"Potter, nonverbal!" She reminded him. Then a thought struck her. "Does Ginger bite people, Mr Potter?" She asked cautiously.

"Um no." James replied, frowning. "Are you saying you wouldn't put it past me to release a giant maneating owl on the school, Professor!?" She gave him a warning look. The class gave James skeptical looks. "Fair enough!" Barely daring to look at his beloved pet, James screamed in his head "_Engorgio_!" Suprisingly the bird only grew to his height, crushing the desk. "Oh thank God!" With a flick of her wand Mcgonagall re-assembled the desk.

"Shrink her now, please." James sighed.

"_Reducio_!" Unfortunately this spell did not turn out as successful as the last time. Ginger was now the size of a snitch. The class errupted into laughter.

"Did you study, Potter?' She asked. James hung is head, while Mcgonagall shook hers. "Potter, you will have two rolls parchment on the importance of practicing non-verbal spells on my desk by tomorrow."

"Proffessor, what about Ginger?" James asked.

"While your connection to your pet is touching, I believe an apt punishment is for you to take the consequences of your negligence. 'Ginger' shall remain in that state until your are capable of changing her back. Now, Miss De la Grange, I hope you have studied..."

* * *

Sitting at the table the next morning James was beside himself with grief. His owl was miniscule, he needed to write two rolls of parchment before the day was gone, the girl he had a crush on since he was eleven was officially taken and he was about to play the Quidditch game that would decide the Quidditch Cup. Talk about pressure.

"Goodluck, Potter." Alice, a Gryffindor Girl in his year, said. "I've a bet against my brother we'll win!" James really hoped they did win.

"Look, Prongs, we've been practicing for weeks! Summers is the best seeker we've had, even if he is thirteen! De la Grange, you and Edwards are brilliant chasers!" Sirius declared, sensing James low beat mood. "We're bound to win!" At this cheery uptake on things Remus snapped.

"As a beater, it is your job - your job, Sirius! - to hit dangerous balls-" Sirius sniggered a his friends choice of words "at your younger brother!"

"And?" Sirius frowned, not seeing Remus's point.

"And? You would wonder why you aren't in Slytherin for your heartlessness, Padfoot!" Sirius shot him a warning look. "You are in five minutes time going to be maiming your own brother - YOUR FAMILY! - for the sake of a stupid cup!"

"With a bit of luck!" Sirius grinned, not taking Remus seriously.

"_And wizards think that they are the most sophisticated beings on earth!_" Remus muttered.

"**_That_** is just the Slytherins beliefs!" Sirius argued, hearing his friends angry muttering.

"AND **_THAT_** IS A STEREOTYPICAL REPRESENTATION!" Remus snapped, slamming his book down on Sirius's head.

"Remus, we need him for the game-" James began but Remus cut him off.

"IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT STUPID QUIDDITCH! I FOR ONE DO NOT WANT TO SEE BROTHERS TRYING TO KILL EACHOTHER OVER IT!"

"Technically Regulus will be unarmed, Mate-" Sirius interjected, at the same time James pointed out that Remus trying to kill Sirius wasn't much better. Remus was now attracting a crowd.

"SHUT UP YOU FOOLS! COMPETITIVNESS MAKES US THE MOST DISGUSTING OF ALL LIVING THINGS!"

"I think it's his time o' da month, Prongs." Sirius whispered behind his hand.

"PROFFESSOR MCGONAGALL I REFUSE TO COMMENTATE THIS MATCH!" Remus belowed. However Mcgonagall was unable to get out of her bed, having become very ill suddenly, let alone find a substitute, and so Remus was stuck with commentating.

* * *

"THE CAPTAINS POTTER AND TALKALOT SHAKE HANDS, THE TEAMS SURROUNDING THEM. THEY KICK OF AND THE QUAFFLE IS THROWN INTO THE AIR AND WE BEGIN!" Remus's voice thindered through the pitch. Even without the megaphone James seriously doubted he wouldn't hear his friends voice. Despite him being quiet, understated and usually modest he had probably the loudest voice James had ever heard. "AVERY TAKES POSESSION, STREAKING ACROSS THE PITCH INTO GRYFFINDOR TERRITORY! BLACK AIMS A BLUDGER AND HE DODGES, BUT HE'S DROPPED THE QUAFFLE! NICE CATCH! POTTER NOW IN POSESSION! AND LESTRANGE CAN'T BLOCK IT! 10 POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR! DE LA GRANGE IN POSESSION! WATCH IT LAUREL, MALCIBER COMING UP CLOSE BEHIND! PENALTY! PENALTY!" Laurel was an exquisite quidditch player, however she had an old broom - Comet 180 - and there fore Malciber was level with her fast, but instead of making a grab for the quaffle he punched De la Grange in the face. Master Munroe swiftly declared a penalty to Gryffindor. "EDWARDS TAKES THE PENALTY AND SCORES: TWENTY - NONE TO GRYFFINDOR! THE SLYTHERIN SEEKER SEE'S SOMETHING! HE'S DIVING TO THE GROUND, DODGING THE BLUDGER HIS BROTHER SENDS AT HIM! NO! -WAIT! HE'S PICKED UP A GOLDEN CHOCOLATE WRAPPER COVERING A WALNUT!" Regulus Black frowned at the wrapper in his hand as James scored ten points at the diversion. "THIRTY - NONE TO GRYFFINDOR!" Remus yelled out, just as he looked in Sirius's direction. He was sure he had seen him eating chocolates last night... "WATCH THAT BLUDGER POTTER!" Remus yelled out, seeing Evan Rosier swinging his club in triumph as the bludger came hurtling towards James who was streaking across the field with the quaffle. Instinctively, the cup meaning a bit more to him than a limb, he threw the quaffle to De la Grange at his right. He then tried to dodge it. It would of knocked his head clean of his shoulders if he had moved a second slower, instead catching Avery between the shoulder baldes. The reserve, Thorfin Rowle, hobbled on as Avery hit the ground.

"Thanks Rosiekins!" Sirius laughed as he slowed his descent to Jame's level. "Did my work for me, you darling!" Rosier spat at him in response.

"DE LA GRANGE WITH THE QUAFFLE AND SCORES! FOURTY - NONE TO GRYFFINDOR! PENALTY!" Remus roared again, upon seeing Rosier smash the end of his broom into James's face as he sped to the Slytherin goal posts for another score. Summers, the seeker, repaired his glasses while the referee and Rosier were talking. James insisted to play. He gestured to Sirius to hit Rosier.

"It was an accident I swear!" Rosier was telling Master Munroe. Coincidently they were under the commentators stand and Remus heard them.

"IT WAS NOT AN FREAKING ACCIDENT YOU MANGY GIT!" He shouted. James had returned to the ground, his nose broken and his glasses smashed to peices, and Remus was not speaking into the megaphone - him leaning over the rail as if he was going to jump down on Rosier- yet his suspicions were confirmed upon hearing Remus's voice VERY clearly. Master Munroe - being formerly a Slytherin himself- went along with Rosiers claim. Remus never permitted himself to become angry, ashamed incase it reflected the werewolf he was, and yet he was fuming at the fact no penalty was given.

"RIGHT SO STRAIGHT AFTER THE DISGUSTING INJUSTICE OF ROSIER POTENTIALLY BLINDING POTTER ROWLE TAKES POSSESSION! EDWARDS BESIDE HIM! OI! I HAVE AN IDEA SAMMY! WHY DON'T YOU SHOVE FRAGMENTS OF GLASS INTO HIS EYES TO DESTRACT HIM!" Sirius laughed upon hearing his friends outburst, along with the other Gryffindors. Monroe, however, did not find it ammusing - glaring at Remus and hovering very close to Edwards. "THANKS TO THE PREVIOUS MALFIESSANCE OF QUIDDITCH RULES SLYTHERIN SCORES!" There was such a loud noise of booing from the crowd that it felt like they were all beside a large drum. "FOURTY - TEN TO GRYFFINDOR! IF OUR DEAR FRIEND SUMMERS WANTS GRYFFINDOR TO WIN (AS WE SURE AS HELL WON'T WIN IF THIS INEQUITY CONTINUES) HE BETTER START LOOKING FOR THE BLOODY SNITCH! AND IT BETTER NOT BE A FLIPPING CHOCOLATE WRAPPER!" Slytherins threw dirty looks at their seeker at the comment. Summers looked disgruntled and so did Regulus. Sirus again sniggered, before hitting a bludger in the direction of Rowle as he made a grab for the bludger that James had.

"POTTER SCORES! OH SORRY SIR, DO YOU WANT TO SEE IF HE ACTUALLY SCORED BEFORE I ANNOUNCED IT!?" Munroe simply glared at Remus. "SUDDENLY DECIDED TO BE REASONABLE? OKAY THEN! FIFTY - TEN TO GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius decided he was pushing it by attacking Master Munroe like that, especially since the entire school and most of the teachers were present. Well he did say he wanted to resign... Was be fired close enough?

"AND FINALLY SUMMERS ATUALLY SEE'S SOMETHING, IS HE ALLOWED TO DO THAT, SIR?! SUMMERS NEARLY CRASHES INTO ROWLE AS HE FAKES SEEING THE SNITCH AND BLACK (THE SLYTHERIN ONE) HITS HIM INSTEAD JUST AS A BLUDGER COLLIDES INTO HIM ASWELL! WHAT'S THIS! SUMMERS GOES INTO A DIVE! I WILL MURDER YOU IF IT'S A CHOCOLATE WRAPPER, JULIAN!" It wasn't a chocolate wrapper as the crowd went wild as Summers pumped his fist in the air, in his grasp the golden snitch. James was about six feet off the ground as he leaped off his broom to join the team who were hugging Summers. Together he and Sirius lifted Summers onto their shoulders as three quarters of the school screamed their appreceation.


	3. The Ledge

After the Quidditch Match James was forced to stumble up to the Hospital Wing because of his left eye swelling shut, and he still wasn't back at eleven o'clock, when the common room had emptied of everyone except the marauders and Lily, who was studying in a corner. Sirius took the oportunity to explain the finer details if his plan for James to gain Lily's attention.

"This is still the most asinine idea you have ever suggested, Padfoot." The now more dignified Remus Lupin told Sirius.

"Asinine?" Peter frowned. They were in the common room, next to the fire, and Peter had sat right next to it, moving sticks about with levitation charms he was practicing.

"Stupid, Ludicrous, Brainless, Absurd, Half-witted-" Remus replied with great fervour, as he consistantly did when someone was unaware of a definition of a word.

"We get the picture, Moony!" Sirius hissed. "And can I ask how you came to that conclusion?"

"Because sometime or other he will have to jump, or as usual you will shove him off!" Remus explained.

"I don't know what you mean! Name one time I have shoved him off something-"

"The day we first went to the astronomy, you wondered if falling off would kill someone!" He elaborated.

"He told Laurel you liked her when you three met in the owlery in year three, and you shoved him through the window." Peter offered.

"I didn't know he was standing infront of a window, Wormtail!" Sirius objected.

"You seemed to belive it would be hilarious if you pushed him over the rail at quidditch training a month or two ago, too." Remus interjected, rolling his eyes, returning to his book.

"In care of magical creatures you kicked him into the lake." Peter continued.

"You just don't want James to convince Evans to go out with him!" Sirius snapped at Remus, ignoring Peter. Lily, who was writing out a scroll of parchment in a corner, heard this last comment.

"No, I just don't think that's really the right way. You shouldn't underestimate her intelligance." Remus corrected him.

"Please! Anyother girl would be dying to date him! She can't be smart if she doesn't say yes, she's not popular-" Sirius was interrupted by Remus.

"She is immensly popular, and why? Because she doesn't trample over everyone to become popular! If she would **EVER **consider dating Prongs it would not be because he is popular! She'd need to think he was a good person." Peter looked estatic at the news that Remus didn't think James was a nice person. Remus frowned at him, though. "I do not mean I dislike him! I mean that he can't show it, Wormtail."

"Would you mind not discussing me within ear shot." Lily asked cooly. Peter squeaked and hid his face behind Lupin. He wasn't used to girls talking to him. "And whatever you and James are planning don't even bother."

"I'll be off to bed then..." Sirius announced, ignoring Lily.

* * *

The next day most of the other Gryffindors were out at Hogsmeade, except Lily, De la Grange, Alice Pevensie and the Marauders. All six were in the common room, when again James asked Lily out. "And before you answer!" He cried, just before she said no. "I will get on this window ledge." He then opened the window and climbed out. De la Grange, Alice and Lily just stood staring. "AND I WILL JUMP!" He added, yelling over the wind. Lily snorted.

"No, you won't!" She declared, sitting down and picking up her book again.

"YES I WILL!" James voice was nearly lost over the wind.

* * *

Despite it being may James was official frozen after standing out on the ledge for three straight hours.

"Potter, just come in!"Lily cried.

"Not until you go out with me!" Was his answer, as dignified as possible with his teeth chattering.

"There are more reasons for you to live than me going out with you, Potter!"

"Name them!" He challanged her. Lily paused, thinking.

"Your future." She offered.

"Don't have one, and proud of it." Was his retort. At his words he seemed to stand up straigter.

"Your friends." James frowned, and sticking his head through the window he answered.

"What? This lot?" He pointed to the other three as he said this. Peter was on the floor, picking his teeth and Sirius was sniffing his arm pit. Remus just stood there, the far off expression on his face implying he was thinking complicated things he didn't dare hope the other two would understand.

Lily sighed. "Your family!" She suggested, exsasperated.

"Prefers that." James pointed at Sirius, who was now attempting to braid his leg hair.

"That!" Sirius cried. "I am to be referred to as _him, _might I inform you!" Lily and James both rolled their eyes.

"The Quidditch Cup!" She blurted out. "Don't you care that Gryffindor will need you next year, especially with Edwards and Murray leaving!" James seemed to consider her point for a while, before rejecting it.

"I'm not the best chaser in the world." He replied flatly.

"You decide that the day you need a reason to live! Typical James Potter!" Lily seemed to be growing frustrated.

"It's almost as if you don't want me to kill myself!" James smiled smugly.

"Only for my own selfish reasons!" She answered, growing angry. "I don't want to be expelled, and as a witness of this charade who does not intend to suffer expulsion I can't exactly cheer you on, can I?!"

"You don't want me to die!?" He seemed almost excited.

"Because I'd get in trouble!" Lily added.

"Not the best grounds for starting a relationship, but it's a start!"

"I am **NOT** going out with you, Potter!"

"Why not?"

"Because you're an egotistical git who bullies first years for fun!"

"I don't do that anymore!" He objected, seeing a flaw in her arguement.

"I had a complaint filed yesterday about you from a Ravenclaw Girl!"

"What!?" He cried. "I couldn't of done it! And how did a Ravenclaw know my name?"

"They didn't." Lily frowned. "They just said the year six with the weird hair that follows me about..."

"Must o'been Snivellus!" Sirius suggested. Lily scowled at Snape's nickname.

"I don't care who it was!" She snapped. "I know you bully people, Potter, I don't need witnesses to prove it."

"So just the fact I bullied-"

"You use past tense as if you've stopped!"

"Oh how darling! You two bickering like an old married couple!" Sirius grinned, throwing his arms about Lily. "Dibs best man and the first kids godfather!"

"Get your arms off me, you thick headed pig!" Lily hissed.

"Fiesty!" Sirius grinned. "Honeymoons gonna be a lot o'fun, Prongs!" Lily hit him over the head with her book.


	4. Headlines

Lily sighed, opening the window for the daily prophet's owl. One more week and she'd be back at hogwarts. Her parents were not accustomed to owl deliveries and her mother screamed upom seeing the owl at the window. Lily herself let out a small scream at the headline.

YOU KNOW WHO KILLS PURE BLOODED FAMILY

_On Tuesday in Godrics Hollow fifteen members of the old pure blooded family The Potters, lately headed by Caius Potter, have been reportedly killed in a 'deatheater' attack which was a result of the majority of the family refusing to be recruited as followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. It appears that age was not taken into account as Aria Potter, Age Four, was the youngest killed. Only three members of the Potter family - by blood - are still alive. Miss Sabina Potter (aged forty six) - daughter of Charlus and Dorea Potter, Miss Aurelia Potter (eleven) - the orphaned daughter of Marcus and Luciana Potter, and Mr James Potter (seventeen)- the son of Julius Potter. Mrs Katharina Potter, widow of the late Julius Potter, refused to comment, and eventually her son began to throw garden pots at the reporters head. He then refused to apologise to the reporters injured, his friend and accomplice declaring it was 'A disgusting invasion of privacy to demand a newly widowed woman answer questions to nosey gits being paid because of her suffering.' Mr James Potter, the son in question, also did not comment, despite being repeatedly asked to comply to the publics need of information. The names of those killed shall be listed below, not including the murderers who were killed during the fight. Miss Aurelia Potter is now currently in the care of her great aunt, Sabina, and will begin her education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in September. Mr James Potter shall be entering his seventh year at this time also. Ministry officials shall be investigating this case, and more information shall soon be published. A memorial service shall be held on monday, in Godrics Hollow the family's ancient home. It is believed You-Know-Who's followers intended to kill solely the Potters born into the family, ignoring the members who married in. This is backed by Miss Sabina Potters tale of events, who declared that as soon as the last of the fourteen fell all the attackers fled, and that only two of the deaths was that of someone who married into the family. The so called Death Eaters were presumably aware of the family reunion happening. All members of the Sirius Black, a friend of James Potter, the entire __Potter family, excluding William, Aria and Aurelia Potter, were part of the battle__. There are only six confirmed suspects, who are being hunted by aurors apparently, and they shall be listed under the fallen._

THE FALLEN:

Caius Potter - Seventy Nine  
Charlus Potter - Seventy Seven  
Julius Potter - Fifty Seven  
Elisabetha Potter - Forty Five  
Walburug Potter - Forty Three  
Antonius Potter - Forty  
Marcus Potter - Thirty Nine  
Lucianna Potter (Pevensie) - Thirty Nine  
Lawrence Potter - Twenty Two  
Rosamund Potter (Vance) - Twenty Two  
Elvina Potter - Twenty  
Avonlea Prewett (Potter) - Twenty  
Audley Potter - Eighteen  
William Potter - Seven  
Aria Potter - Four

CONFIRMED SUSPECTS:

Igor Karkoroff  
Amyscus Carrow  
Alecto Carrow  
Gaius Jugson  
Bellatrix Lestrange  
Rodolphus Lestrange

* * *

"What is it, Petal?" Mrs Evans frowned, looking over Lily's shoulder. "You know who?" She frowned.

"The evil one." Lily clarified.

"The one who's been killing all of us?" Dad asked. Lily nodded.

"I know a boy in the article." She told them as her parents laid the paper on the bench and began reading.

"Who?"

"James Potter." Lily felt like an intruder when she simply uttered his name. Guilt settled in her stomach as she realised this was the boy she had so refently loathed (well she had stopped hating him at the beginning of year six, when he had actually gained an ounce of maturity) but she had not been the nicest to him.

"Sounds a tad violent."

"He sounds like a freak, Mummy." Petunia hissed, standing up and leaving.

"What is a death eater?" Mr Evans inquired.

"A follower of Lord Voldemo- the evil one." Lily shuddered. "This is the third pure blood family that's been attacked. If they're going for blood traitors then..." Her family wasn't safe. A hufflepuff girl, Olivia Marshall, was killed, along with her family - muggles - at the beginning of the summer...

"Blood traitor?" Mrs Evans slight ignorance brought Lily back to reality. They would never find them - would they?

"One of the old wizarding families that does not believe that muggles are lesser than them..." A lot of the Gryffindors were not one of the 'old families' but those who were were named blood traitors for their association with muggle borns. Lily once heard Remus Lupin boast - a rare event - of himself being one of the only half bloods/pure bloods not related to death eater families. Everyone else was. Even Georgius 'George' Weasly - younger brother of Arthur Weasly - had a mother (Cidrella Black) who was from a death eater family - and he and his elder brother were famous for their interest in muggles. The Vances and The De la Grange's were all people like Remus...

"Do you mind if I have some time alone?" She asked, her eyes blurring.

"It's okay, Petal." Mrs Evans reassured her, hugging her daughter and planting a kiss on her forehead. Lily climbed the stairs and collapsed on her bed. Seventeen Vances, Fourteen De la Grange's and Fifteen Potters. Fourty Six deaths of pure bloods! And it said James and Sirius had been there... Her thoughts drifted to little Aria Potter, barely four years old. She probably didn't even know what was happening.

Her owl, Athena, seemed un nerved in her cage at the sight of Lily. Could owls sense peoples feelings of disgust? Probably.

A week until she saw her best friends, a week before she entered the magical world, a week before she entered a war.


	5. A Study of The Blacks

A study of The Blacks

The day after term started James discovered that Lily Evans was Head Girl. It didn't come as a shock, more like a pleasant suprise. He was pleseantly suprised when he saw Lily down in the small common room of Head Tower. Suprisingly she smiled at him. And then he realised it was pity. Pity that made her smile. And it made him feel worse than if she had given him a cold stare. They walked together out of Head Tower, the entrance being hidden behind a portrait of the four founders of Hogwarts, and down to the Great Hall for breakfast without saying a word. Sirius didn't even tease her as she sat down next Laurel. Sirius was a bit too scarred to be teasing. He had seen his great aunt tortured and killed at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange, his cousin. Bellatrix was well known for her use of the cruciatis curse on those she were to kill, but unless you had witnessed the horrific act no one would be calable of comprehending the disgusting pain that consumed the bodies of the victims, including Little Aria.

"Hey." Remus smiled weakly. "You okay?" James nodded. He could deal with it. He needed to. And then Aurelia Potter sat next to James and layed her head on his upper arm. Aurelia was more like a little sister than a second cousins to James, and now she was orphaned at the age of eleven he was far closer - him being one of the few blood relatives she had left.

* * *

"Are all pure bloods absolute nutters?" Lily eventually asked Remus as they took the usual root to arithmancy. Remus was initially suprised at the change of topic, however answered her.

"The majority are, I suppose." He replied after a while. "I think it's due to inbreeding. To keep money in the family, or simply because there were no '_respectable_' candidates from other families they married cousins or second cousins."

"And as a result the children from those unions wouldn't be all there?" Lily finished.

"Yes. Were you aware that Sirius's parents shared Great Grandparents?"

"I figured." Lily nodded. Sirius was ovbiously...different.

"There's no doubt that madness runs in a lot of the old pure blood families. Take Sirius's mother for example-"

"What's wrong with his mother?" Lily frowned.

"You are joking, right?" Remus demanded. Figuring she wasn't due to the somewhat blank look in her usually intelligent eyes Remus continued. "Have you ever imagined a person is so evil that they eat children for fun and use the cruciatis curse on random muggles while laughing their head off in amusement, only to then decide that you're being ridiculous & that no one is as evil as that?"

"Yeah... I gusss..." Lily answered hesitantly.

"She's the real deal." Remus stated.

"She doesn't do that, does she?" Lily questioned, concerned.

"I'm not entirely convinced about the eating children part, but the last you'd find hard not to believe."

"I was wondering about the death eaters." Lily told him. "If it's true about Bellatri-"

"DON'T SAY THE NAME!" Remus hurriedly cried, silencing Lily.

"Why not? It's not like I'm saying Voldemort!" She whispered back, seeing how Remus's outcry had attracted the hallways attention.

"Sirius has the ears of fox! Mention one member of his families name and he goes ballistic!"

"He can't hear us from divinition!" She objected.

"Yes he can!" Remus argued. "Now, what were you going to say?"

Well I was wondering if it's true about how Bella - I mean B.L - being a raving lunatic!"

"There's no questioning it." Remus replied. "I was researching it in sixth year, it seems that there's a pattern. B.L is the eldest of three and the eldest Black children have been off their rockers for centuries. Ofcourse Sirius's father was the younger of two, however his mother was the eldest daughter of an eldest son."

"But Sirius, the eldest son of an eldest daughter of an eldest son, isn't _that_ mental-" Remus gave her a questioning look. "He's **_not_** normal, he's just a bit weird...Well a lot weird, but that's not the point!"

"It's more prominant in women." Remus simply told her. "Hereditary Insanity, or just in witches. I've researched his family tree all the way to the sixteen hundreds, and the Black women are infamous for their sadistic natures. The men are just a bit stupid. They mature out of it, but by the time they hit fifty it's back and about three times stronger."

"You're telling me that in thirty three years Sirius will be three times more idiotic."

"It's frightening isn't it? I personally will make it my buisness to die before fifty in order to avoid the horrendous situations I shall inevitably be in if our friendship lasts."

"I can see why." Lily agreed. "But I'm more scared of the sadistic death eaters running around. The worst part is the lack of family bonding."

"Well the pure blood mania forced a lot of the families like the Blacks into marrying anyone pure blood they found. When the teachers talk about Hogwarts being your family it's actually pretty literal in a lot of cases. I can't think of anyone other than myself at this school that's half blood or more and not related to a death eater, and I can't really be sure... Well anyway, due to everyone being related family slowly becomes less and less important - especially when there are different ideals at work that cause friction and divide. Look at Sirius and Regulus. Polar Opposites, loath each other and yet they are one year apart and have exactly the same D.N.A!"


End file.
